1. About Hungarian emigrants ̶ who? when? where? why?
„[...] meddig érdemes elmerülni a többivel ezen a magyar tengeren?”
'[...] how deep is it worth submerging with the others in this Hungarian sea?'
Esti Kornél - Ez Itt Az Ország (Boldogság, te kurva, 2011)

2. When and why did 21st century emigration start?
EU enlargement → emigration slowly rising
joining the Schengen agreement
start of global financial crisis
high unemployment rate 11%; 28% among young people
May 1st, Austria and Germany open labour market → # of emigrants increasing radically
Pan-European Picnic, 1989, near Sopron

3. Why do people emigrate?
OECD Better Life Index - Life satisfaction: #35 out of 38

4. Why do people emigrate?
source: Blaskó - Gödri 2014

5. How many are they?
since 1989: % of labour market > / year only estimated numbers
official Hungarian statistics show a lower number of emigrants

6. Who are they? young 77% are under 40 average age: 29-30
educated 24% have an academic degree national average: 18%
unmarried
slightly more men than women depends on the country
families 35% have an academic degree
brain drain

7. Who are they?
Students
50-60% of secondary school students interested in studying abroad
Hungarian university students currently abroad
number of applicants to Hungarian universities decreasing (2017: admitted students) Why?
unsure future
dissatisfaction with education policy and welfare
eagerness to gain experience and learn languages
30-50% of student emigrants later move back to Hungary

8. source: Zsuzsa Blaskó, SEEMIG Project (2014), All Rights Reserved

9. Where do they go? source: Portfolio.hu
source: Szilasi ̶ Halász ̶ Gál-Szabó 2017

10. United Kingdom 150 000 - 250 000 highly qualified
very young, unmarried 80%: age 18-35
attracted by culture
cheap flights
labour market open since 2004

11. Germany 150 000 - 200 000 traditional destination network effect
more skilled workers, less university graduates
work in industry sector
more men
older (age )
more married
40% send money home

12. Austria 70 000 traditional destination network effect
close to Hungary daily / weekly commuters
less university graduates
travel home often
work in service sector

13. source: Zsuzsa Blaskó, SEEMIG Project (2014), All Rights Reserved

14. Are they coming home? most of them are unsure 15% surely coming home
Hungarian population
without vs. with emigration
most of them are unsure
15% surely coming home
10% surely not coming home
by Erzsébet Földházi, SEEMIG Project (2014), All Rights Reserved
government programme to make young expats come home was unsuccessful

15. What are the effects? brain drain negative effects on economy
transnational families married men leaving wife and children behind → negative psychological effects on children vs. money
decreasing population
return migration would have great positive effects → government needs to encourage return migration

16. sources, unless otherwise stated: SEEMIG ̶ Hungarians abroad 2013 Blaskó ̶ Gödri 2014 Szilasi ̶ Halász ̶ Gál-Szabó 2017

17. Thank you for your attention!